Not So Bad
by Jen Drake
Summary: This is a response to a challenge I found. It's set during "Hello, Goodbye" and is very MA. I had to use the line "This is where I watched you die."


Summary: A response to a challenge I found @ the Dark Angel Fan fiction Archives. MA  
  
Authors Note: When I found this challenge it had nothing to do with the episode, "Hello, Goodbye". But, after seeing that episode a few times in the last few days, I decided that I wanted this to take place after Max told Alec about killing Ben and before Logan saw them the next morning.   
  
Rating: ?   
  
Genre: Romance/Drama/Angst.   
  
Stipulations of challenge: Continue story starting with this line: "This is where I watched you die," she whispered.   
  
"This is where I watched you die," she whispered. She didn't look at Alec- couldn't almost. They were standing in the woods in the exact spot that she had killed Ben. She left out the part of how Ben actually died.   
  
"That wasn't me, Max," Alec remarked softly, laying a hand on her shoulder. "That was Ben."   
  
"But every time I look at you, my memory returns. It's like it was you," she turned toward Alec now, her hands clasped in front of her, "not Ben." A tear slid down her cheek, but Max didn't notice. "Every time I see it in my mind, I feel like I'm killing you."   
  
"Max," Alec said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to him, kissing the top of her head. "I am so sorry, Max," he whispered before she slowly eased both arms around him, hugging him as sobs started to wrack her frame. Alec wrapped his arms around Max and let her cry. For the second time in less than a few hours he was seeing her cry. This strong, independent woman who never showed any signs of weakness. Alec felt for her. She was going through all this pain because he'd asked. Because he looked like Ben. Because he was a twin.   
  
Alec sat on the ground, Max at his side, one arm around her shoulders as she simply stared at the spot where Ben had died. His back against a tree, Alec rested his cheek against Max's hair and just held her. Some time later, Alec didn't know when, he noticed Max was asleep. Carefully picking her up, he carried her to her bike and with her sitting on his lap; he carefully started the bike and started toward Seattle.   
  
He was surprised when Max didn't wake up when he moved her, especially when he started the motorcycle. She was emotionally drained and exhaustion had finally taken its toll on Max. He carried her up to her apartment and laid her on her bed before taking a seat with his back against the door. He watched Max sleep and came to a realization. HE loved Max. Whether he wanted to or not, he loved her.   
  
The next morning, Max had seemed better. She'd told Alec about Ben, had shown him where he'd died. It was almost like closure. Alec didn't say very much as they sipped their morning coffee together.   
  
"You better lay low until we get this whole mistaken-identity thing sorted out," Max said as they stood outside her apartment building.   
  
"Yeah maybe I'll crash at Joshua's. Think he'll mind?"  
  
"Are you kidding? He'll love it," Max grinned at Alec, noticing something different for the first time.   
  
"Well, thanks for saving my butt, again. Must be hard, huh? Having me around? Some guy with Ben's face, making you think about things you'd rather forget?" Alec asked, knowing the answer.   
  
"Yeah. That's probably why I'm such a bitch to you sometimes," Max answered with a smile.   
  
"Maybe," Alec remarked.   
  
Half a block down, Logan was getting out of his car, intent on going to see Max. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Alec with his arm around Max's shoulder. He instantly wondered what was going on and why Alec was at Max's apartment so early in the morning.   
  
"Or, you know, maybe 'cause I'm such a pain in the ass sometimes," Alec put his arm around her shoulder, grinning at her. Max smiled at him as he started walking away.   
  
"Be careful."  
  
"Always," Alec said walking backwards, a grin on his face. Max watched him leave, her emotions creating turmoil within her. Deciding not to anything about it, she decided to get ready for work.   
  
That night Max sat on the Space needle, looking out at the city. She noticed Alec's presence before he stepped out onto the ledge, before he stood next to her.   
  
"Hey, Max. Thought I'd find you here," Alec remarked.   
  
"I come here to be alone," Max didn't look at him.   
  
"Yeah, I know, but considering everything that went down today, I figured we could both use a friend right now," Alec answered.  
  
"Sit down," Max remarked as Alec obeyed.  
  
"So, you got any deep thoughts you want to share? Any, uh, profound realizations about life?" Alec asked.   
  
"Yeah. Love sucks," was Max's answer.  
  
"Why you say that, Maxie?" Alec asked. "It's not all bad."  
  
"Because it's confusing," Max snapped. "Shut up." Alec moved closer and put an arm around her and instantly Max felt something within her. She'd told Logan they were together, but they weren't. Suddenly she wished they were. Alec looked down at Max and at the same moment, she looked up at him. Then she did something that surprised Alec. She leaned upward and pressed her lips against his, kissing him softly.  
  
"Okay," Max remarked. "You're right. It's not all bad."   
  
Authors Note: I want to thank everyone who's been leaving me feedback (on this and It Was Destiny). You have no idea how much I appreciate it! Especially since this is my first short story for Dark Angel and the other is my first chapter one. I hope you guys liked this- I wrote it in about 30 minutes and HAD to change the ending of the eppy, 'cause I wanted to and 'cause I didn't like the ending of that episode. lol. They needed contact! Lol. 


End file.
